Adjustable spring and axle wedge



March 14, 1933. A. w. CORRIVEAU ADJUSTABLE SPRING AND AXLE WEDGE FiledJune 30,

INVENTOR, zikyszkas 13f firrzbeaa,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 ALOYSIUS wl oonnrvnAu, or' wns'r snRINerInLn,MASSACHUSETTS immune srnine Ann AXLE wanes Application filed in}; so,1932;1Seria1 No. seam;

- This invention relates to improvements in adjustable spring and axlewedges, or pads, for counteracting or correcting the axle caster, ortwist, of the front axle of a motor 5 vehicle, when the correct positionof the king pin has been thrown out by reason of a slight bend, or twistof the axle, due to accidents, 0r otherwlse. I

I Heretofore, it has been the practice to insert a wedge between thelowerleaf of the front springs and the front axle, but no means isprovided for accurately adjusting and bringing the axle back into itscorrect vertical, or other position,eitherforward or backward. I

The present invention comprises a wedge device that is composed of twomembers, each being formed with intermeshing, or

nesting teeth, one of them being placed OIlfOI'.

attached to the front axle, and the other between the lower leaf of thespring and the member on the 'axle,the member under'the springs beingthe'adjustable one, either forward or backward. The intermeshing teethof each'of the members ofthe wedge are formed on the same-arc of acircle, and the distance between one tooth and the next corresponds toan adjustment of 1, so that several degrees of adjustment may be made 0in practice. Reference to suitable tables,

known as :Front axle repair -data, which have'been prepared forre-setting, or positioning, a front axle, exactly, the movable wedgemember maybe set from 1 to 5, as will be described. j The wedge'construction'is further so constructed that the upper wedge member thatis located immediately beneath the lower leaf of the front springs maybe reversed,

0 end for endithat is to say, by having one end thicker, and, placingthis end at .the front side of the axle, instead of at the rear side ofthe axle, whereby a greater tilt, or adjustment, in degrees, may beobtained.

In the present invention, it is possible to eifect an adjustment of 5,by. reason of the reversible feature of the upper, or movable member ofthe wedge.

The invention, therefore, broadly comprises a w dge member formed in twoparts series of V shaped teeth 10 andll, which in termesh' and thedistance, or pitc'hof these having intermeshing teeth, one of themembers beingplaced onthe upper surface'of the front axle, and the othermember directly under the leaves of the spring. The lower member isprovided with an opening, or recesi, to receive the usual pin on thelower "lea.- r.

Referring to. the drawing: l r

Fig. 1 is a verticalsectional view on a plane transverse to thefrontaxle, showing a plurality of the front spring leaves'in section and thetwo-part wedge device inserted between the lower leaf and the uppersurface of the axle.

Fig; 2 is an elevational view showing the two wedge members removed andwith the upper wedge member in a position indicatmg a caster adjustment-of 2 and the thicker end of the upper member ofv the wedge beingtherecessin'the lower wedge member, which receives the pin on the lowerleafv of the springs, and i' Y Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, butwith Y the upper member of the wedge reversed with the thickened end atthefront to indicate a'caster adjustment of 5.

7 Referring to the drawing in detail 1 designates the front axle of amotor vehicle'havingv the usual upper and lower flanges 2 and 3 and theweb member l. 5 indicates a plurality of the leaves of. the frontspringthe ends of-which are shown broken off; 6, the lower leaf of thesprings.7 indicates the usual U-shaped clamping members for securing the springto the axle. Referring now to the details of the wedge device: 8indicates the lowermember and 9 the upper member. TheJmember 8 is formedwith'a lower fiat surface 8, which rests 'on the upper flat surface ofthe axle. Each of these members is formed with a teethrepresents 1 indistance, when considered with reference to a circle, the radius ofwhich-has been carefully determinedto provide forthis '1' of adjustment.The 1 ing, or slot 15, to receive the boss 13 of the lower member,whereby the upper wedge member 9 maybe adjusted lengthwise, rel-aftiveto the lower wedge member 8. Theadjustment of l between each of the V-shaped teeth 10 and 11 is indicated in Fig. 4;, at 16. The adjustmentof the upper movable wedge member 9, relative to the fixed, member 8 isindicated in Fig- 2 at 1'Z,where a-2 adjustment is shown. In thisfigure, the thickened portion 9 of the wedgeis located. at

therear side of the axle, which positionis also indicated in Fig. 1. Intherevent that it is necessary to make a greater adjustment than 2 fortilting-the spring; the thickened part 9 of the 'member 9 is placed atthe front of the axle, as shown in Fig; 4, whereby a 5. adjustment maybe effected, as indicated at '18.

It will be seen, from this description, that in order to compensate forthe casteror twist of a front axle that is out of correct alignment, itis only necessary to loosen the clamping bolts 7 and jack up. the frontsprings of the car to permit the upper wedge plate member 9 to beadjusted the desired number of degrees or teeth, as shown-at 17, or 18,with reference tothe data chart for any given make of car. It is 'to. beunderstood that the whole wedge device, or pad, may be inserted, whenthe car is first assembled at the factory with the zero, mark of thewedge to indicate the'vertical alignment.

It willalsobe seen, after the adjustment has been madea nd thebolts 7are tightened, there is no possibility-of the wedge members slipping outof place and. destroying the adjustment, since the .intermeshing teeth10 and 11 will retain the members in place. 1 It is to be understoodthat I do not. limit myself to a construction of a 1 adjustment, as inpractice adjustments are made. A adjustment simply means varying thelength of the radius and the distance be tween the teeth of the wedgemembers, whereby a finer adjustment may be made.

. WVhat I claim is lower member to offset the caster or twist of anaxle.

2; A spring and axle adjusting device, comprising two members, one ofwhich is formed with a lower flat surface and a projecting pin, a hubpart integral with the lower member having an opening therein, the uppermember having an opening to receivethe hub part and the two members eachhaving teeth formed on the arc of a circle which is" common to bothmembers and interiiieshing teeth; on the arc of the two mem- 3. A springandaxle adjusting device,

comprising two members, one of which is formed with. a lower fiat,surface and aprojeeting pin, a hub part integral with the lower a memberhaving an. opening therein, the upper member having an opening toreceive the hub part and the two members each having' teethformed on thearc of a circle which is common to both members and intermeshing teethon the arc of the twomembers, an end portion of one of themembers beingthicker than its opposite end portion, wherebywhen it is adjusted endfor end a greater adjustment :may be made.

4. A w'edgedevice for the purpose described,,comprising two members eachhaving a flat surface and intermeshing teeth formed on an arc that-iscommon to both members, one of the members having a boss part and theother an opening to receive the boss part to permit the members to beadjusted relative to each other.

j5. Av wedge device for the purpose described comprising two memberseach. havaxle and the lower leaf of the front springs.

f 6..A two-partwedge for the purpose described, one of the partshaving-an end thicker than its opposite end and each part havingintermeshing teeth formed on a common arc, co-operating means to permitthe parts to be adjusted' relative to each other in a longitudinaldirection, as described.

; .ALOYSIUS WM. CORRIVEAU.

z 1. In a device for adjusting the plane of a front axle of a motorvehicle, a wedge comprising two members the-bottom onehaving a pin forengagingthe recess in the axle and a hub formed with a-recess toreceive'the pin of the lower leaf of a front spring, the said membershaving intermeshing teeth formed on the same are of a circle, wherebythe upper member may be adjustedrelative, to the

